Select 5-8 of the visual artworks from the Harlem Renaissance on display at the National Gallery of Art and place them around the classroom. 

Instruct students to walk around the room and answer the following three questions on each poster:

1. List 2-3 observations of the visual artwork. What do you notice? These can include subject matter, figures, use of color and light, etc.
2. What does the art mean? What is the artist trying to say?
3. What might this piece of art tell you about how artists defined Black identity during the Harlem Renaissance?

Then, divide students into small groups and give each small group just one of the posters. As a group, students should read through all the comments and prepare a short verbal presentation to the class summarizing the art work’s main idea and any salient comments from the gallery walk. Take turns presenting the posters, and lead a final class discussion on the following questions:

• What are the similarities and the differences between works of art produced during the Harlem Renaissance?
• How did the Harlem Renaissance impact Black communities, Black identity and consciousness, and American society more broadly?
• To what extent was the Harlem Renaissance a political–and not just a cultural–movement?